From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Comparative analysis of a Bentley and a Lagonda, focusing on refinement, gear noise, and gear change mechanisms.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\2\ scan0113 | |
| Date | 30th January 1939 | |
| - 2 - Cx {Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} 5/KW30.1.39. cornering at low speeds, and has a certain amount of sponginess or lost motion. The clutch is fairly heavy . The chassis and standard Saloons are more expensive. In trying to decide, therefore, what would induce a purchaser to select the Bentley in preference to the Lagonda one feature is very prominent in favour of the Bentley, and that is its refinement. The Lagonda lacks that finesse all through for which our products are so noted. It is an important difference, and emphasizes very clearly the quality of our products, a point which will always help sales to those who want the best. It is like comparing a good hack to a thoroughbred. Both do their job well but one has breeding and the other hasn't. I hope we shall always maintain the highest possible standard of quality. In support of this I would say that where the Lagonda lacks finesse is chiefly in its gear noises. For instance, the engine gears literally howl at 60 m.p.h., and you can hear them above all other noises including wind noises. One has only to run up the engine, when car is stationary to realise that these gears sing very appreciably. At higher car speeds than 60 other gear noises become apparent, which merely emphasizes by comparison the remarkable silence of our gears generally. At slow speeds there seems a good deal of noise apparent due to probably tyre and transmission noises which have not been effectively isolated from the passengers, and when stationary with the engine running the gearbox is quite audible unless the clutch pedal is depressed. The gear change is not to be compared with the Bentley for its charm of operation. The Lagonda has a centre gear change, and I rather think this appeals to a great many people today who are accustomed to it and probably prefer it, and I think we might do well to consider the possibility of offering it as an alternative until such time as a remote control is available. I have in mind the (cont) | ||